Here in the south, insults are often more likely to be delivered with a smile, and veiled as compliments, like "My! those orange lilies are bright! You must need bright colors to see them well...bless your heart" or "How wonderful for you! I don't imagine they had many applicants..." LOL
dirtdorphins, while that's tough combo to work with, I don't think it's altogether bad, I think because the intensity of tone is similar. With some bright yellow, perhaps some lime green/chartreuse I would like it. A few years ago wildly clashing, bright colors became popular in designs aimed toward teen girls, with hot pink, orange, and chartreuse, and I found myself drawn to the cheerfulness of it. Sort of had the appeal of a bowl of skittles- happy and playful. While I've yet to do a planting with that color scheme, it's on my list to do someday. I remember an article on an amazing home garden I read in Horticulture magazine years ago, where the designer had an area they referred to as the "schizophrenic border" that was similar, and I loved it.
Jo Ann, I find blues, purples, and lavenders make great transition colors, along with white. Seems there's a shade of blue or purple/lavender that compliments nearly any color.
For me, some of the toughest colors to combine with other plants, are those antique looking shades, with beige or buff tones like you see in many bearded Irises. Clear, saturated tones do nothing for them, and whites make them look dirty. I love many flowers with those qualities, as they appear Victorian or antique/heirloom to me. Foliar color seems to be the best pairing I've found in most cases.
